find themselves on the defensive when it comes to the debt ceiling issue. remember how they vowed they would only raise the debt ceiling by a dollar for every dollar cut in spending. now they said never mind. we'll push that down the road. the big fight will be on the sweeping spending cuts that go into effect march 1 and on the government funding that runs out on march 27. march is going to be the month to watch, and it's a month that could end in a government shutdown. >> ifill: is it the kind of fight the republicans want to have to redefine themselveses? >> i think they do. gwen, i think you have to know when to hold them and know when to fold them. yes, the republicans folded on this wise wisely. finally, i think they got some smart on this. you have to pick your fights. they need a breather now. they've been on the defense for a year on tax cuts for millionaires, on toughness, shutting down the government, they're not going to compromise. they need to recalbright here, a reset button needs to be pushed and it seems like in every aspect of government. and fight on future spending, not on obligations already incur. >> ifill: in the inaugural a

charles payne sick you. don't like this. >> absolutely not. i think the debt ceiling punt was the latest example of this. the president says, if we don't do this the market is going to implode and congress puts its tail between it legs. i haven't heard anything from s&p or moodies who say we want the debt ceiling to go higher. everybody watching this show who has cut back 0, government has to learn how to do the same thing. it's cowardly in washington to continue to hide behind the notion that we're going to collapse overnight as a nation if we don't keep spending ourselves to death. >> i agree. congressmen have basically sent a message that today is not the day we're going to stop spending our children's and grandchildren's money, and charles is exactly right. the reason why our credit got downgraded is because of our out of control spending and out of control debt. the fiscal cliff deal even we just witnessed, it's such -- added four trillion dollars to our deficit over the next ten years. so, congress is not serious about reigning in spending and that's exactly when the we need

the debt. >> greta: every time we hit one of the mile posts, whether it's sequestration or debt ceiling, taxes going up, whatever it is, what happens is the solution is just to extend is somehow and create another hurdle in a certain period of time and when we get to that point we do it again. i mean. >> that's not the best way to do it. >> greta: is there ever going to be a finality to this. >> one way or the other because there will come a point where the debt will deal with us if we don't deal with it. no doubt it has to be dealt with, we would hope we would deal with it it before that point of crisis before we become europe or one of the places that scramble to deal with it that should been dealt with a long time. the president of the united states gave his inaugural address on monday and barely mentioned the national debt and the fundamental argument only way for the middle class and create prosperity in america is for the government to have more control over our economy, more taxes, more regulations, more spending. there's a fundamental difference between the president's v

ceiling which would provide additional economic security and stability as we continue to find ways to decrease the deficit. raising the possibility that the u.s. could default its obligations every few months is not an ideal way to run government but a short term solution is better than another imminent manufactured crisis. >> holman: the house already passed the bill. without it, the government would default on its obligations as early as mid-february. in economic news, americans' personal income grew in december, by the most in eight years. but first-time claims for jobless benefits were up last week. and on wall street today, the dow jones industrial average lost nearly 50 points to close at 13,860. the nasdaq fell a fraction of a point to close at 3,142. blinding snowfall and a slick freeway triggered a mile-long series of crashes in detroit today. at least three people were killed and 20 more injured. the pileups left a section of interstate 75 littered with wrecked cars and big-rig trucks. the tangle involved some 30 vehicles, and halted traffic on the road for hours. in egypt, representatives from the country's various factions made a rare show of unity today to denounce viol

. >> obviously democrats would prefer a longer suspension of he debt ceiling which would provide additional economic security and stability as we continue to find ways to decrease the deficit. raising the possibility that the u.s. could default its obligations every few months is not an ideal way to run government but a short term solution is better than another imminent manufactured crisis. >> holman: the house already passed the bill. without it, the government would default on its obligations as early as mid-february. in economic news, americans' personal income grew in december, by the most in eight years. but first-time claims for jobless benefits were up last week. and on wall street today, the dow jones industrial average lost nearly 50 points to close at 13,860. the nasdaq fell a fraction of a point to close at 3,142. blinding snowfall and a slick freeway triggered a mile-long series of crashes in detroit today. at least three people were killed and 20 more injured. the pileups left a section of interstate 75 littered with wrecked cars and big-rig trucks. the tangle involved some 30 vehicles, and halted traffic on the road for hours. in egypt, representatives from the country's various factions made a rare show of unity today to denounce viol

talked about. obviously, democrats would prefer a longer suspension of the debt ceiling which will provide additional economic security and stability as we continue to find ways to decrease the deficit. raising the possibility that the united states could default on its obligations every few months is not an ideal way to run government, but a short-term solution is better than another imminent manufactured crisis. every republican admit that default would rock our financial system to its core. however, injecting uncertainty in the system every few months also has a chilling effect on the economy. this insecurity doesn't just affect big investment banks or wealthy investors. it costs jobs. all around the country, ordinary americans with 401-k's and college savings accounts are affected. i'm glad republicans set aside their plan to gamble with default. it was bad politics and even worse policy. middle-class americans remember the last time republicans put us through a protracted fight over the debt ceiling in an effort to force deep cuts to social security, medicare and other programs important to the middle class. middle-class americans, remember how the tea party driven republicans forced the nation to the brink of default in 2011, sending the stock market into a tailspin

together today. >> obviously democrats would prefer a longer suspension of the debt ceiling which would provide additional economic security and stability as we continue to find ways to decrease the deficit. raising the possibility the united states could default on its obligations every few months is not an ideal way to run government but a short-term solution is better than another imminent manufactured crisis. >> reporter: there will be a whole bunch of amendments proposed today. one would offset every dollar of increased borrowing with spending reductions. another would add 120 day extension to any possible government shutdown threat in the future to give lawmakers to avoid type of bloated bills that get passed in the dead of night and increase the deficit, debt and spending. all the amendments are expected to be defeated and the measure is expected to pass and as for that member pay, folks shouldn't think lawmakers are making too much of a sacrifice. there is constitutional amendment says senators and house members have to be paid. their salaries would be delayed, not denied. jenna: do we have such an amendment in our contract? >> reporter: one would hope. i don't think so. jenna: carl, we'll continue to watch the story as we will over the next couple months at least